Activist and artist Margaretta D’Arcy has been sent to Limerick prison after she was taken into custody at Galway Garda Station on Monday morning.

Ms D’Arcy (81) was brought to the prison shortly after 11am on foot of a warrant from Judge Patrick Durcan. She told a crowd of supporters that she did not fear returning to prison, where she is now expected to remain for the next two weeks.

“I feel very honoured to be going back to jail. I have no fear about it. Many of these women I know from my last stay,” she said.

Ms D’Arcy was given a two week prison sentence on June 24 which was to be suspended if she signed a bond to stay away from restricted areas of Shannon airport. However, she refused to sign the bond and was liable for arrest from this morning.

Arriving at Galway Gardai station, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, Ms D’Arcy said gardai had called to her home earlier this morning but she was not ready at that stage to accompany them to the station.

She denied that her decision to make herself available for arrest at the station was a publicity stunt and insisted it was in solidarity with political prisoners around the world.

She said she hoped her actions would encourage others to “carry on the struggle”.

Ms D’Arcy also insisted that following her two week stint in prison she will not pay a €250 fine imposed on her.

“I refuse to pay the fine because it is like blackmail money to the Government. I don’t know if that means they will re-arrest me when I am released, this could be the non-stop Shannon show,” she added.

Ms D’Arcy said she intends to abstain from food during her two weeks detention in solidarity with people who have lost their lives and seen their communities and homes destroyed.